1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to kitchen sinks, and more particularly, to management of dual-basin kitchen sinks and related kitchen utensils.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern kitchen sinks generally include a single rotatable faucet head positioned over a dual-basin sink. Each of the basins includes a drain at the bottom thereof. Often, one of such drains leads to a garbage disposal unit for grinding waste.
Dual-basin sinks generally provide increased capacity in comparison to single-basin sinks. In addition, dual basin sinks allow a user to do two different things at once. For instance, one basin can be used to soak “dirty” dishes in soapy water, while the second basin may be used to rinse such dishes with clean water. Alternately, one basin may be used to store “dirty” dishes for washing at a later time, while the other basin may be used to store recently washed dishes while they dry. In this case, one may occasionally forget which basin contains clean dishes, and which basin contain dirty dishes. As a further example, one of the basins might be used for storing dirty dishes, pots, and utensils that need to be washed, while the second basin might be used for food preparation.
Another advantage of the dual basin sink manifests itself in a halachically-observant Jewish home. According to Jewish dietary laws, one must refrain from eating and/or mixing meat products with dairy products. In addition, one must use separate dishes and utensils for cooking, serving, and eating meat products, on the one hand, and dairy products, on the other hand. A third, or neutral category of food products that contain neither meat nor dairy (so-called “pareve” foods) exists, and many observant households maintain separate utensils and serving ware for such items.
In a kitchen equipped with a dual-basin sink, one basin might be dedicated to receiving “milk/dairy” dishes and utensils, while the second basin might be dedicated to receiving “meat” dishes and utensils. The strict requirements of Jewish law require that the “meat” dishes not be washed in the “dairy” basin, and that the “dairy” dishes not be washed in the “meat” basin. At times, particularly when one is distracted, it may be difficult to remember which basin is for which purpose. Moreover, when well-meaning guests are invited in, and help in the kitchen, the potential for errors is increased.
Food preparation in the kitchen often requires the use of a cutting board for cutting or slicing fruits, vegetables, meats, and other food items. It is often advantageous to have such a cutting board, or other work surface, proximate to a sink so that portions of food items that are not to be eaten (cores, peels, etc.) can be easily disposed of.
Covers for covering sink basins are generally known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,194,343 to Wexler discloses a drainboard that may be disposed over a first or second basin of a dual-basin sink to drain water into the opposite basin. U.S. Pat. No. 2,334,293 to Stein discloses a reversible cover for use with a dual-basin sink and which includes pivot members at one edge of such cover to facilitate upward swinging movement of the lid. U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,166 discloses a pair of reversible sink covers that may be used to cover the basins of a dual-basin kitchen sink. U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,855 to McKeehan, et al. discloses a sink cover designed for double sinks; however, the cover disclosed by McKeehan either covers both basins or neither basin. U.S. Pat. No. 7,305,723 to Fulks discloses a dual-basin kitchen sink, as well as a utility board hinged to the sink for selectively covering one of the two basins. U.S. Pat. No. 6,883,881 to Gauss discloses a portable kitchen apparatus that includes a dual-basin sink, as well as support surfaces that may be used to partially cover one or both of such basins. U.S. Pat. No. 6,611,972 to Underbrink, et al. discloses various cover structures for sinks, and in some instances, such covers are pivotable. However, Underbrink does not disclose covers for use with dual basin sinks. U.S. Pat. No. 3,625,162 to Crew discloses a work supporting surface adapted to be mounted over the divider of a dual-basin sink; however, such work surface does not cover either of the basins of the dual-basin sink.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to assist a user of a dual-basin sink to maintain a separation of objects in one basin of the sink from objects in the second basin of the sink.
It is another object of the present invention to encourage a user of a dual basin skin to place items into a first basin at certain times, and to discourage a user from placing items within, or removing items from, a second basin during such times.
A further object of the present invention is to assist a user of a dual basin sink from confusing clean dishes with dirty dishes.
A still further object of the present invention is to assist a users of a dual basin sink in a Kosher kitchen in maintaining separate washing spaces for “meat” and “dairy” dishes and utensils.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method for reminding a user of a dual-basin sink of the purposes assigned to the first and second basins.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a convenient cutting board, or other work surface, proximate a sink.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which achieves the aforementioned objects and which can be manufactured inexpensively, and which is easy to use.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art as the description of the present invention proceeds.